


Things Recovered

by Kariachi



Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Getting Back Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 16:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14622450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kariachi/pseuds/Kariachi
Summary: Sequel to 'Forgotten Things'Getting memories back doesn't necessarily make things better, but in time it may reopen doors...





	Things Recovered

Kevin showing up out of nowhere, collapsing in the chair across from his desk, wasn’t unusual. It pained his little black heart, because holy shit was that a face he could wake up to every day, but it wasn’t unusual. The way he laid over the desk, crossed arms flat on the wood and chin resting on them, was. He chewed his lip a little, glanced quickly to the side, then gave him a tentative smile.

“So, you free Friday?” A little bit of his heart gave a hopeful trill, especially when Kevin quickly looked him over and that world-ending smile widened just a touch, but Argit shoved it down. Oh no, he was not going to be that pathetic, no. Carefully keeping his expression neutral, he mimicked Kevin’s position.

“Depends, where’s Red gonna be?” _Something_ flashed across Kevin’s face, not exactly pleasant but not intense enough raise red flags.

“She’s, taken herself out of the equation.” Ah, that explained that then. Argit almost frowned, but managed to stop himself at the last second.

“So I’m second choice then.” _That_ expression was one he recognized, the way Kevin’s eyes widened, his lip pulled back in the barest snarl, for a split second before he was frowning, reaching out to curl his fingers in the fur of Argit’s cheek.

“Never.” He wasn’t lying, Argit was sure of it, or at least didn’t want him to be. Still, that didn’t change the facts.

“Seems like it,” he said, finally letting himself frown. Yes things had been fucking crazy during the whole Rooters thing but- “Didn’t exactly jump to get me back _before_ she dumped you.” Kevin flinched, just a bit.

“I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t.” There was that first look again, or at least something akin to it. Anger and hurt and worry and guilt, all flashing across Kevin’s face at once. He took a deep breath, just barely tightening the curl of his fingers, tattered nails scratching under Argit’s quills.

“Just, trust me?” The sad thing was he did, he did so much. Or maybe he just wanted to, it was hard to tell anymore. That was the problem with having loved a guy since you were like, thirteen, fourteen? But he just looked so damn sincere, staring at him with those dark brown eyes like Argit had his heart in his teeth and he was hoping he didn’t bite down. Schooling his expression again, Argit straightened back up in his seat, careful not to catch a calloused hand on his quills when he pulled away. He began shuffling the papers on his desk, just for someplace to look besides Kevin and something to do with his hands.

“I can do better than you now.” It wasn’t a convincing tone, he knew that even before he stole a glance and saw the tension draining from Kevin’s shoulders, but damnit he wasn’t going to just _give in_. His heart had been broken damnit.

“Is that so?” Kevin was smiling again, wide and soft, and Argit had to fight again not to smile back.

“Oh yeah. Local hero, successful business owner, budding politician- I’m a catch now.”

“Oh totally.”

“And ya know, Red’s brother is pretty cute.” Kevin snorted.

“I knew I shouldn’t have let you two in the same room.” Straight face, Argit, straight face.

“You really shouldn’t. I mean he’s cute, he’s sweet, he’s even _educated_.” Again Kevin snorted, though this one had a derisive edge.

“Oh please,” he said, shifting so he was propped up by his elbows, “I’m twice as smart as him, and you know it.” Argit waved him off.

“Don’t need the added brains, I’m more than smart enough to carry the relationship.” He was smirking now and Argit couldn’t keep himself from smirking back. He was only so strong.

“I’m also bigger and handsomer than him.”

“Looks aren’t everything.”

“I’m the better cook.” Oh, he was playing _hardball_ , the _asshole_.

“Now, Kev...” The human leaned closer, his smirk gaining teeth.

“I know for a fact he’s as bad as Gwen. Can hardly make boxed macaroni.” Argit hummed, as if this was some new angle to consider and the outcome of this conversation hadn’t been decided back in the Null Void.

“I can afford to order in.” Kevin hummed back, as if Argit had a point.

“Yeah, or I can cook for you. Everything homemade, pizza, cake, dai’oe...” Really this was just cruel. Argit had been there for Kevin’s journey from ‘I can feed myself’ to ‘confident and skilled in the kitchen’, there was no way anybody in the galaxy was going to top his cooking in his eyes and stomach, and Kevin damn well knew it. It was a struggle not to just melt right there at his desk at just the thought of sitting perched on the counter, watching him work and acting as official ‘poison tester’.

“You drive a hard bargain, Levin.” Kevin kept leaning closer.

“Besides, he’d never be able to handle those annoying refurbishing jobs.” Still, after all this, avoiding looking directly at him, Argit hummed in agreement. “Or help you when you got stuck on a program.” It was true. “Fix your math.” Something Kevin had been doing since forever. He reached out, hand looping around the back of Argit’s ear, nails finding that sweet spot just between it and his mane, and he finally melted. “And definitely couldn’t do that.”

“I can clear some space tonight,” Argit purred, leaning into his hand, “you can make me dinner.” Kevin purred as well, and pressed a kiss under Argit’s eye.

“It’s a date.”


End file.
